Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-09-19
alnnth's Column.
Hen Talk.

tonished At the vocal possibilities OF
the hen if they will give the subject a
little investigation.
Knowing that the hen has voice.
we assume that its office Is TO afford
communication between individuals.
Half an hour in a farmvard viii be-
yond question demonstrate this. and
that certain sounds are the equiva-
Tents OF words. The crow of the cock
Is assuredlv challenge. the moment
another bird is noticed, and IS kept
up either in advance or retreat 1t /
sounded in the morning in answer To
others. and Is comparable To the chal-
lenge or war cry of many savage
tribes. or even the answering shouts
OF college boys or men. that are IN
explainable on other grounds than a
challenge OF merits.
Observing closely our rooster, &C
companied BY his family, We notice
that the hens pay no attention 10 the
challenge but let him find some deli
cacv. he utters a succession of short
notes. Tuck. tuck. tuck. tuck upon
which the others rush about him
eager 70 share. Again. if hawk
flies overhead. the cock guardian of
the flock. raises his head and utters i
prolonged note ~ different from the
former a possible: ''ka-r-r-e. he
seems TO say. which translated int
English means look out for the
hawk run :" and Immediately hens
and chickens duck their heads and
rush for cover. Now let a dog dart
after the head OF this family. and
listen 10 the clucks and other sounds
coming fast and furious-protests
in every information.
The hen cannot crow. but she has
in other respects as perfect control of
language as her master. Indeed she
can sing: purely 4 self-congratulatorv
performance expressive Of deep con-
tentment and complete satisfaction.
heard when hens are let out and they
are running for food. and upon warm
days in spring it is q kerr. kerr.
kerr" differing in its meditation and
information in individuals. How diff
ferent in this from the sharp ''cluck.
cluck" OF the mother-hen. The lat
ter Is q general warning TO everybody
and plainly says. 4 have a young
family. and must be let alone. If a
grain Is found how suddenly this i
changed 10 the quick call. Tuck.
tuck. tuck upon hearing which the
little ones come rushing Pell-mell:
and they understand it the moment
they leave the shell. Indeed the DIFF
ferent notes, or baby talk" OF q hen
are Of great variety. No one would
think OF saying that the .cut.Icut. ca
da-cut' was 4 call. 1t saws as plain
a. words can tell. Il have laid All
egg. and the bright little egg-huntrr
who hears Immediately starts for tin
hay loft, a q favorite hound OF mine
was in the habit Of doing. She I'M
derstood hen language. and fed npom
freshly-laid eggs for some time be-
fore | discovered that she was such :,
linguist. The moment .'cut. cut. ca
da-cut' was heard she trotted to the
hen coop.
When the little chicks are nes-
tied under the mother another
sound Is heard, a prolonged hoarse
''c-r-a-w-z-z-e, c-r-a-w-z-z-e." which
1 copy from a happy mother in nv
possession without the aid OF 4
phonograph. Enter a chicken-coop at
night. and soft whistling noise Is
made. a gentle chirping by the birds.
sounding something like ''w-h-o-o-i-e'
rapidly repeated. that speaks plainly
Of apprehension If a chicken i
seized by the leg the .c-r-a-i-a-i-o-u.
c-r-a-i-a-i-o-u' that follows could
never be construed INTO any but a
wall OF anguish. So if we commence
dictionary Of the domestic fowl
language we might have the follow
ing as a basis.
Jr-Ea-5o-dle-do-o-o Chauange Of Cock.
Tick, tack, tuek- Food cali Of male.
K-a-T-'-S- Announcing presence Of hawk.
Caf-cEt-e1-d1-clf- Announcement OF egg laying.
cllet duck. erueE. Cal OF young.
KsrT, kerr. kerr- Song OF conteurnent OF hen
cT-a-U-:s-e- Quieting young chicks.
W-A-o-es- (whi,tle) Expression Of apprehension
~ night
C-r-1-ia-e-E- Terror and protest q, capture
These sounds OF course vary in in
dividuals that Is. in the information.
a, like persons. no two birds can ut
ter the same vocal sounds Vide
AlrdLe.
WEST POINT.-North and east the
Point Is hemmed in by the mighty
river, west and south by the rock-rib-
bed Highlands. The pleateau, little
by little, has been leveled and graded
until to-day it Is a broad. beautiful,
grassgrown plain, bounded on the
west by the coy homes of the officers
and professors, on the south by the
stately barracks. the grim, old-fash-
toned Academic, the Grecian chap
el. and the domed turrets OF the Ii
brary. Skirting the precipitous river
banks, broad, graded road encloses
the plateau on the north and east. and
others, as level and carefully kept
border it on west and south. and
nearly bisect it along the meridian.
Covered with a well cropped turf,